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On Saturday 14th May 2016, West Dean College ceramic students
and staff alongside professional conservators grouped together in
Brighton for the day for Icon's Ceramics and Glass Group AGM.

Ceramic students from West Dean College at the Icon Ceramics and Glass Group AGM. From left: Adelheid Hansen (Graduate Diploma), Mary Vigliotti (MA), Harriet Sylvester (MA) and Sophie Croft (Graduate Diploma).

The day consisted of two inspiring and insightful events.
Firstly, the group visited Sarah Peek's conservation studio. Sarah
is a specialist in the conservation of ceramic, glass and enamel.
She runs an extremely efficient studio, fitted out with all the
necessary equipment and materials for work on a variety of objects
for the private sector. As a student, it was interesting to listen
to Sarah's speech about how she set up her own studio from
construction to establishing a business and to hear about her
career progression and success. It was a very educational talk
providing advice, especially as I personally intend to establish my
own career in the private sector and to aim for Icon's Accredited
Conservator-Restorer (ACR) status in the future.

After visiting Sarah Peek's studio and having lunch, the
Ceramics and Glass group AGM was held. The chair, Rachel Sharples,
gave a summary of past successful events including last year's
meeting at Worcester and the recent colour filling workshop.

The second event of the day, during the afternoon, was a visit
to Brighton's Museum & Art Gallery to meet with Stella Beddoe,
Keeper Emeritus of Decorative Art, who gave us a tour of the Henry
Willet Collection. Henry Willet was an avid collector of pottery
and porcelain, which can be seen on display within the museum. The
ceramics collected date from the 16th century, with the majority
from the 18th and 19th centuries. These are assembled in groups and
categories in which Willet assembled them, including "Royalty and
Loyalty" and "Naval Heroes". After the tour, we were given a
glimpse of the store, where the rest of the collection is held, and
on to purchase Stella Beddoe's book A Potted History: Henry
Willett's Ceramic Chronicle of Britain.

The day ended with an Italian restaurant dinner, where Ronald
Pile, the Nigel Williams Prize Coordinator, announced the winner. I
personally applied for the student prize, for my work on the
Chinese Export Porcelain Blue and White 'Soldier' Vase and Lid,
from the Kangxi Period (a description of the treatment can be read
on this blog---part I here and part II here), though I was unsuccessful as a
student prize was not awarded this year. I was, however,
acknowledged for my work and awarded with a ceramic egg cup
decorated with scenes of Brighton!

After rushing to catch a train back to college with my signed
copy of A Potted History in hand, there was plenty of time
to reflect on the day's activities as we stopped at the many
stations on the way back to Chichester. I look forward to the next
ICON Ceramics and Glass group meeting…